Kunai and Kisses - Seeing Stars
by Cmay1018
Summary: Kaida has now been in the Hidden Leaf for a few weeks after escaping Orochimaru's captivity. She is being tested by the Hokage every day in order to find out if she will be able to be a contributing member of the village while being an outsider. What is her next task? With Kakashi's help will she meet this newest goal?


Hi every one! Fluffy one-shot and continuation from my story about Kakashi and my original character Kaida from Moment to Moment: A healer's kiss. You don't have to read that one, but it would help overall to really get the feel of these two. I'd love you to read it as well anyway! Here is part one of a continuing series about Kakashi and Kaida. I don't know how many of these short stories I will write, but so far I'm up to 3! I just fell in love with these two, feeling Kakashi deserved love and a paring of his own. I'm trying to stay semi-cannon as I have squeezed Kaida into the timeline of meeting Kakashi a few months before Pain destroys the village. I really hope you enjoy! Please R&R! ~Cmay

June 9th

Kaida Hikari sat quietly in the small stuffy library chock full of scrolls filled with all kinds of information about the Shinobi world and those inside of it past and present. The room smelled of old parchment and stale ink. Sitting there quietly reading with a cup of tea was a pretty normal act and she seemed to be a rather normal woman except she had one big secret kept from most people. She was a Mirror Sage and it was the reason she sat there in the library all alone, trying to gain more information on her…condition.

Mirror Sages were powerful, they could heal or harm with their hands. Take or give life, skills, and power. Mirror Sages used to be considered invaluable to society, happily helping their community and neighboring lands with their healing powers but over time most slipped into darkness and depravity. No one seemed to know the reason or truly understand why most decided to take life and power from those weaker than themselves to gain an advantage in the world. Most assumed it was due to greed and even Kaida thought that to be true, but also knew it wasn't always the case. Mob mentality and bias had created fear towards Mirror Sages and fear led to harsh consequences for her kind regardless if a Mirror Sage had never harmed on purpose. She was living proof of that.

As she read the ancient-looking scroll that sat on the table, her own beliefs and what she thought she knew about Mirror Sages began to change. Her eyes scanned across the long dusty scroll that held a plethora of information she never knew about her kind. She read eagerly while her tea became cold next to her. She learned that Mirror Sages had originated from a small clan living in an equally small village set almost in the center of where the five great nations converged just after the Leaf had been built. The village had long since been laid to waste by the Second Great Ninja War. The surviving Mirror Sages scattered and were then gathered up with the pretense of being rescued but were then used to benefit the war efforts by villages stronger than theirs. Which seemed to be all of them. They were forced, from all ages, to head into the front lines of the war with no training to heal anyone injured during the battle or weaken the stronger shinobi in command to create chaos in the enemy ranks. The Mirror Sages lost many of their own during this time. Kaida tucked a long strand of her dusky blonde hair behind her ear and continued to read.

Kaida knew Mirror Sage' were feared, hunted, and punished or executed because they, for the most part, lived immorally. Taking everything from someone and not giving back. Only using people to selfishly gain power and wealth. She had rarely ever heard of a kind Mirror Sage, one's only using their powers for good. As she continued to read about the plight of the Mirror Sages, she was able to understand how they turned to lives of immorality and deceit. They had been victimized. They had been sacrificed. It was probably all the suffering and not greed or monetary gain, though the dynamic shifted that way over the years, which ultimately created the type of Mirror Sage commonly known today. The villages that had offered them refuge had actually weakened them further almost to the point of extinction. Betrayed them. Taken so much from them without thanks or honesty and broke their spirits so deeply they found another way to survive in the world.

Even as she continued to read, this scroll seemed to be unapologetic in the actions of the larger villages and how the Mirror Sages had been really been treated. It read more like a depiction of how Mirror Sages had turned on the villages after gaining asylum._ Asylum for the price of death._ Kaida sighed as she neared the end of the scroll. Though she had learned a lot from it, it didn't bring any light to _her _ situation. Living as a Mirror Sage had always been difficult for her. Kaida had ultimately been the cause of her Mother's death. When instead of healing her with her hands like she had intended she had accidentally taken enough of her Mother's life force that she wasn't able to recover from her injuries after she had been caught in the fallout of a rogue ninja battle. Kaida had only been four years old. Though from then on she tried to learn as best she could to use her powers to heal, but that was another secret. Her hands didn't work as they should. She was a broken Mirror Sage.

Hands that were supposed to be able to heal as well as harm could only harm. Luckily her Father, a normal man, had set her up with a secret sensei, one who was able to help her learn how to transfer her healing power to another location. Her mouth._ Kisses heal and hands hurt. _It was a quote from her Father that had made it possible to learn the technique. However, even though she wasn't evil and just because she had been born a Mirror Sage, she had grown up hunted as soon as her secret was revealed. She was then always on the run. Never able to relax or place down roots. Her father had protected her the best he could until he became ill. He passed away after she had been forced from his side by the elderly couple they had been staying with, seeking refuge, once they found out what she was. She had only been fourteen and hadn't even able to visit his grave. Until recently. It was all thanks to the Leaf.

Recently. It was such a strange word to her now. So much had changed in the last month. She was now living in the Village Hidden in the Leaves with the blessing from their fifth Hokage after being held hostage by Lord Orochimaru. She had been captured to ultimately heal his decaying host body, but she had first been forced to heal a stranger, a shinobi, being tortured for information. His name was Kakashi Hatake. Kaida smiled at the thought of him. With their combined efforts and the help of one of Orochimaru's young recruits, who wanted to escape just as badly, they were able to break free from captivity. It had all been a whirlwind. Being used to jumping from place to place, she was surprised how difficult the first few weeks in the Leaf had been when she could finally stop running.

Every time someone greeted her she jumped. She walked the village warily at first like she always had to in the past. As if she'd be kicked out again. Have to go on the run again. Be torn away from something good again. Though this had not been the case and after a few weeks, she had finally felt herself begin to relax. She was safe here. She was safe with_ him._ So now she found herself in this library trying to learn more about her and other Mirror Sages. She had hoped to find out she wasn't the only one who was not able to use her hands in the way she was supposed to be able to. She had hoped to find some way to fix her body, her flow of chakra so that maybe she could become a healer for the village. Contribute in a meaningful way so she was allowed to stay permanently. So far she had not had any luck and she doubted the patients would be willing to have her press her lips to theirs even if she was healing them. She rolled up the scroll and tied the silk ribbon back into a tight bow then stood to put it back onto its dusty shelf. She tossed her cold tea into the trash and turned to leave the library. When she opened the door to exit the quiet building she stopped in her tracks surprised at the sight before her.

Directly across the path, leaning against the wooden fence separating the road from the backside of a home was a tall, lean, man looking quite pristine in a Leaf ninja uniform. One of his hands was tucked into his pocket and the other grasped onto the spine of a book he had pressed up towards his cloth-covered nose. His head lifted, the shock of white spiky hair rustling in the gentle breeze, "You ready to go?" Kaida smiled and walked over to him, "What are you doing here, Kakashi? I thought you were working." He tucked the book into the pouch on his hip and offered her his arm. She gladly curled hers into it and grinned when he bent to kiss her temple, "Lady Tsunade wants you to train with me, so I was cut loose early."

Kaida looked up to his hidden face, "Train? On what?" Kakashi shrugged, "This and that. I thought we'd start with kunai handling first." Kaida's clear blue eyes widened, "Kashi, I am not a ninja! Why does she want…" Kakashi's eye was crinkled into a half-moon shape showing his mirth, "Believe me, I know. Remember what she said, she's not going to take it easy on you until she finds out what you can do to contribute here, but don't worry. I think you'll enjoy this. Maybe you'll have a new hobby once we are done. Something to relieve the stress you're under." Kaida puffed out her cheeks, "I think what she's really testing me on is my patience." Kakashi laughed and reached his free hand over to squeeze hers that was gripped onto his forearm, "I think you might be right. Find anything interesting?"

Kaida followed along next to him as he led her through the streets of the village towards the edge of town, "Yes and no. Nothing that helps me personally. Though I understand why the world views Mirror Sages in the way they do. They didn't have a happy past and now it's like they take it out on the world with their power." Kakashi hummed, "That does sound interesting. Shizune is still looking into things too. I'm sure she and Lady Tsunade will find something. Just give it time." Kaida smiled, he always seemed to know just what to say to make her feel better and she was grateful.

They fell into easy silence and were both greeted with smiles and hellos as they passed by. Kaida's heart was light. Ever since the night he told her the Hokage's decision and they had their heart to heart, they didn't hide what they were to anyone. Even though they were still figuring out for themselves exactly what that entailed. They had done nothing more than go on lots of dates that usually ended in a thorough make-out session or cuddling any chance they got. Their relationship had not been normal from the start and they had done things all out of order but in the end, once they admitted there was love there, things became easier. They had both agreed to pump the brakes for a while concerning the more physical aspects and just let their relationship happen more slowly, not force anything. The villagers seemed extremely happy for him and naturally accepted her as the special woman that made their highly respected shinobi smile. Even though she was an outsider.

Kaida blushed when Kakashi had reached up to pluck a flower from a yamaboushi tree and tucked it gently behind her ear. They heard a squeal from behind them and both stopped to turn. Ino was standing there hands grasped into tight fists under her chin as she bounced up and down, "Oh! Err…Kakashi, sensei! Don't mind me! How _sweet _!" The girl squealed once more and she turned to run off yelling, "Wait until Sakura hears about this!" The pair were blushing red like cherries as chuckles from passersby entered their ears. Kaida grasped Kakashi's hand and said softly in embarrassment, "Come on. We have training to do, right? Let's go." Kakashi shook his head as if to clear his thoughts, "Teenagers are going to be the end of me. I will never understand their fascination with my personal life…" Kaida giggled and hid her laughter behind navy blue painted nails, "Well, I think for one, they wouldn't be so curious if they could see your face. Two, they are young, but they like seeing you happy. They understand what it means to have bonds like this even at their age."

Kakashi leaned down to whisper into her ear causing a shiver to creep up her spine in such a pleasant way, "I don't care. My face is only for you to see. I wish we weren't in public, I'd kiss you until you're unable to breathe." Kaida's eyes closed at his gentle growl of intimacy and her stomach tightened, "Kashi…can we just go back to the apartment?" He chuckled and kissed her forehead, "I tell you what, the second you land a bullseye, we'll go home." Kaida groaned and swatted at his shoulder, "No fair! I've hardly even handled one before! I'm never going to be able to do that without practice!" Kakashi shrugged and rubbed his thumb along her chin just barely touching her lower lip, "You won't know until you try. There is a thing called beginner's luck." Kaida pouted, "Okay, but if I hit the target at all, can I at least have a peck?" Kakashi laughed heartily and loudly which caused more onlookers to pause at his outburst, "Deal!"

Soon Kakashi and Kaida had made it to an empty training ground. Stray kunai and shuriken littered the ground and were piercing all three of the target boards. Kakashi clicked his tongue with annoyance, "Kids these days, they should know better than to leave this all behind." Kaida watched amused as he quickly cleared away the dirt and targets from their abandoned weapons. He dropped the lot at their feet, "Well, at least we have a while until we have to retrieve the kunai. I only brought five. We have well over a dozen now." Kaida smiled and toed at the pile of metal, "Does Lady Tsunade really want me to train with this stuff?" Kakashi bent down to retrieve a few kunai and flipped one expertly around his fingers, "She does." Kaida rolled her eyes, "Show off."

Kakashi smiled under his mask, something she could picture quite clearly as she had seen his face every day since they had met. Something she knew she should never take for granted knowing how precious his mysteriousness…vulnerability was to him. Now, spending every day with him and seeing him let down his guard around her, it was a goal of hers to remove the mask as soon as she could so she could kiss his wonderful face. She smiled at her own thoughts and he spun the kunai again, "Kai? What are you thinking about?" She grinned and bit her lip, "Nothing that you aren't." The kunai halted in its circles and he gulped as he gripped it tightly in his fist, "Well, then, let's get to that bullseye." Kaida grinned and stood up straight at attention, "Yes, sensei!" Kakashi stepped into her personal space, tall, dominant, but nonthreatening. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "I kind of like hearing you call me that. Say it again." Kaida's legs suddenly felt shaky but she poked him in the ribs and laughed to hide that fact, "_ Teach _me something, and I might."

Kakashi stepped back from her and flipped the kunai back around until it was facing forward, he then spun it and launched it over his shoulder. It landed perfectly in the center of the wooden target, "I'll teach you how to do _that _." Kaida rolled her eyes and snorted, "You're such a damn show off." Kakashi laughed in return, "Maybe. Here, take this." He held up another kunai and placed it into her hand. She took the heavy metal into her palm and gripped it tightly in nervousness. He moved her fingers so that they were placed closer to the blade and weren't wrapped so tightly across the handle, "Grip the handle firmly with your palm, but not so tightly that when you throw it will fly straight to the ground. Keep your fingers loose. Try throwing it at the board." Kaida looked at the target then tried aiming for the center of the wooden circle. It missed by a mile landing well short of the target to clang loudly onto the dirt and she frowned, "I told you I am not suited for this."

Kakashi twirled another kunai and handed it to her, "That was your first throw. Give yourself a break. See? You're already holding like I told you to. I'm just getting you used to the feel of it, the weight in your palm, how the metal warms across your fingers. Don't worry about the actual throwing right now. Try again." She flung the knife from her body once more and just like before it went sailing but only to land three feet in front of the board. Kakashi gave her another knife and said gently, "Again." They repeated this multiple times until she finally got the kunai to soar past the board, even though it still missed it entirely. Kakashi's half-moon eye was crinkled joyfully at her, "Good! Now that you have the force down, let's try accuracy.

Kaida took the newest kunai from his hands and then followed him with her gaze as he moved behind her. She felt his body heat long before she felt him press into her back. He shifted her right foot forward with his own then used his left hand to draw her left leg back. His palm was scalding on her thigh. He bent down and rested his chin onto her shoulder and pulled her left arm down to tuck into her side. His right hand pulled her arm across her chest then up until it was next to her right ear. His entire body was pressed against her now. She was molded into his frame to take on the stance she needed to be able to throw this next kunai. She was highly distracted and then he whispered next to her ear, "Now throw." She took a long deep breath to steady herself from the thoughts of him and his warmth so she could focus. She bit her lip and furrowed her brow and flung the knife. It barely grazed the side of the board and she knew had it not been for his closeness, she might have actually hit it. _Damn it, Kakashi. Stop being so…distracting. _

Kaida heard his low chuckle and a new, much shinier kunai was being held before her face. He must have taken one from his pack, "Good. Here. Try again, Kai. You're so close. I can feel it." She shuddered at his words. They seemed to hold a double meaning, but she couldn't be sure. Her brain melted when she felt his left-hand snake up to wrap around her stomach and press her hips closer to his, "You're legs are too low and you're leaning too far forward. Lean into me." She pushed her behind into his groin and bit her lip as the movement cause his arm to lift to the underside of her chest. She swallowed thickly, she needed this next one to stick. She needed to kiss him. He rested his chin on her shoulder once more, "Take a deep breath, Kai. I'm right here. Feel how I am standing, how relaxed I am, focus on the goal then let go. Throw it." Kaida let the kunai slip from her fingers, it looked as though it was going to hit but then it deviated and missed the side of the target by a few inches.

Kaida pulled herself away from Kakashi and growled, "I'm not getting it! This is not working! Damn it!" She bent down and plucked a throwing star from the pile of discarded weapons and tossed it towards the board in frustration, "I just want…a damn kiss! AH!" She froze when the shuriken lodged its self deeply into the target just a mere six inches from the center. Kakashi stood just as still but then bent down to grab another, "Kai, throw again." She took the throwing star and turned to lunge it towards the board. It struck the target again even closer to the bullseye. Kakashi chuckled and walked up to her, "Looks like I owe you two kisses." Kaida huffed, "That deal was for kunai." Kakashi leaned down and stroked her cheek as he whispered, "If I recall, you said hitting the target would grant you a kiss each time. Hit the target you did, so if you don't mind, I'd like to pay my dues." The next thing she knew, he was turning her and puling his mask away from his lovely face then planting a solid passionate kiss onto her lips. Her eyes were closed when he pulled away and then he pecked them once more, "There, two kisses for two hits of the target."

Kaida pouted while trying to hide a smile, "I like the first kiss more." Kakashi pulled his mask up and chuckled, "So did I, but the first hit was further away, so the one kiss was suited for that." Kaida groaned, "Really? That's how it is?" Kakashi shrugged, "You didn't specify the types of kisses…" Kaida poked him in the ribs and pointed a finger into his face, "If I make the bullseye, I want all of the kisses." Kakashi smiled and bent down to pluck the remaining few shuriken from the dirt, "I already told you I want to kiss you until you can't breathe. Is that not enough?" Kaida took one from his hand, "Hmm…with you? I'm not so sure." She turned and centered herself, she positioned herself like Kakashi had molded her previously and took a deep breath._ Hit the target. _

Her fingers let the throwing star fly and she watched it with bated breath as it whizzed through the air. She closed her eyes at the last second, not trusting herself to make it. A hard thunk was heard and she stood stock still, afraid to open them. She then felt Kakashi scoop her up in a fireman's carry, "Kakashi! What are you doing? You left all the weapons! " Kakashi was laughing and suddenly soaring through the trees towards the main village road, "It's still cleaner than it was! You hit the damn bullseye!" Kaida grinned, "I did?" Kakashi nodded, "You did. I can't wait to let Lady Tsunade that you failed kunai training." Kaida gripped at his hips while slung over his shoulder almost upside down, "What?! You can't say _that _! I don't want her to know I'm bad at anything!" Kakashi laughed and kissed her forehead as he set her onto the main village road, "Kai, I'm kidding. You know I wouldn't. I know how important it is to you to prove yourself to her. I'm impressed though. I want to see how well you can do with the shuriken, we'll get to kunai later." Kaida frowned and crossed her arms, "You didn't let me finish with them though…I was just starting to..." Kakashi pushed a lock of wayward hair from her eyes, "We had a deal. You make a bullseye and we go home. Do you not want to? Have you found a hobby after all?" Kaida balked and shook her head, "No! NO! I mean yes! I mean! Oh, Kakashi, let's go back to the apartment! I can't think…"

She heard his low chuckle as he intertwined their fingers and began walking swiftly back to his apartment. The journey was quick with how fast he marched them forward. Once inside the nice cool apartment that eased the June heat from their bodies, they removed their shoes and as soon as her toes were free he was turning and pulling her towards him. He had yanked his mask from his face and tossed it onto the side table just inside the door as he stepped them up and into the living room. Kaida was smiling broadly at him just before he descended and mashed his lips against hers. Their lips met like magnets and played against the others creating a heat much like the one outside they'd just left. Kaida panted and when he pulled away she whispered, "I had fun. I think you're right, I may have found a hobby today. Kakashi growled and pressed his lips against her neck trailing feather kisses up to her jaw, "Hmm…seems like I failed. You're still talking so you still have breath." Kaida giggled as his lips trailed back up to meet hers. His mouth was soft and warm and perfect.

She breathed in deeply and gasped when his teeth tugged on her lower lip. His wonderful assault continued until she became weak in the knees. He kept kissing her until her breaths were coming in and out of her lungs in ever shorter pants. She looked up at his handsome face with heavy-lidded eyes and smiled as he finally pulled away. She could feel the flaming of her cheeks and knew her hair was a mess with how his fingers had tangled into it as he kissed her. He grinned, "That's better. Wait here." Kaida whined as he stepped away from her, it was the only sound she could muster being as breathless as she currently was. _Take my breath away with kisses, indeed. _

She followed his movements as he walked over to one of the multiple bookshelves laid throughout the apartment. This one, however, seemed to be a memento shelf, almost like a curio or shrine of sorts. Things from his past and present laid there all presented proudly. She often caught him looking at the things laying there with a fondness. He returned a second later with a small black enamel box, "Here. I'd like you to have these." Kaida took the box offered to her and lifted the lid. Inside were two beautiful gold shuriken. In the center, the symbol of the leaf had been engraved along with his initials, which just so happened to be her initials too. He rubbed at the nape of his neck, "They were a gift for when I became a Jonin, but I never much liked shuriken. I'm better with Kunai." Her eyes widened, "Kakashi, I can't take these." She closed the lid and tried to offer the box back to him. His hands lifted as he refused, "Please, they've just been sitting there not being used. I'd really like you to have them. Practice with them."

Kaida lifted the lid once more to glance down at the shiny metal, "Kashi, they are beautiful. Thank you." Kakashi lifted her chin, "Not as beautiful as you are." Kaida snorted, "You're so damn cheesy!" Kakashi shrugged and smiled, "Maybe, but you like it." She closed the box and lifted up to her toes to plant a kiss on his chin, "Can I practice with the ugly ones first? I don't want to damage these being that I don't know what I'm doing." Kakashi smiled, "Of course, only if you let me train you. Deal?" Kaida hugged the small box to her chest, "Only if you kiss me each time I hit the target…" Kakashi smiled wickedly, "What do you get when you hit the bullseye?" Kaida tapped her chin in thought, "Take my breath away and make me see stars." Kakashi grinned, "That's definitely a deal."


End file.
